


Trustfall

by HappyLeech



Category: Silent Hill (Video Game Series), Wolf 359 (Radio)
Genre: Alana is ace, Background Character Death, Daniel is Heather, Death, Gen, Post - Silent Hill 3, Pre-Wolf 359, Silent Hill 3, Silent Hill Typical Gore, Silent Hill Typical Violence, Tags Ratings and Warnings to change, Trans Daniel Jacobi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-10
Updated: 2019-05-13
Packaged: 2019-10-25 12:32:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 16,435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17725271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HappyLeech/pseuds/HappyLeech
Summary: Daniel Jacobi doesn't want to go back to Silent Hill. Too bad his job said otherwise.





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warnings for this chapter: Talk of Vomiting, Daniel being misgendered (briefly)

Daniel was sulking in the backseat.

Normally he would argue that he wasn’t sulking, he was simply planning his next move, or thinking, or busy with something else. But this time he was one hundred percent sulking.

Alana was sitting in the passenger seat, reading a pamphlet about their destination out loud to Kepler as he drove. “This place really isn’t very big-- one of the things they talk about in here is the _strip club_. Hey, Daniel, do you hate this place because it caused your duck trauma?”

He shot her the stink eye in the rearview mirror, and she cackled in delight. “ _It is_! Was there a petting zoo? Oh! At the theme park, I bet it was there.” she tried to turn to poke at him, and Daniel pushed her away. “Or maybe the lake?”

“Cut it out, Maxwell,” he snapped, and he could see Kepler raise an eyebrow in the mirror.

“It’s just a tourist town, Daniel,” Alana said, slipping the brochere into the glovebox. “Besides, this is an in and out job, right sir?”

“Exactly. I doubt we’ll be there for more than twenty four hours, so long as everyone pulls their weight.” Kepler said, and frowned when Daniel snorted. “Is there something on your mind, Mr. Jacobi?”

“This town is a cesspool,” he replied, watching as they reached the turn-off. “Nothing here is ever quick or easy.”

And already Daniel knew that an “in and out job” wasn’t to be. Not when Kepler clicked his tongue and pulled into the lake rest stop, the tunnel leading into town blocked off.

“Well, it looks like we’re walking from here. According to our last known intel, our target is at Jack’s Inn. Should only be a twenty minute walk, but since we’ll be in public...we’re leaving our vests and most of our weapons behind. Can’t attract too much attention,” Kepler said with a grin.

“Oh, fuck that.” Daniel snapped. “You can pry my tactical gear from my corpse...sir.” Alana snorted in surprise, before schooling her face when Kepler looked at her. “You should probably keep yours on too.”

“Give me one good reason,” Kepler said, turning in his seat.

Daniel locked eyes with him. “Gang warfare.”

“Uh, this place doesn’t even have an operating movie theater, I don’t think they have gangs,” Alana said, and Daniel kicked the back of her seat.

“Look, this place is dangerous. I--” he hesitated, before sighing. “I lived here for seven years. It’s a shithole.”

“Ah, you have personal enemies,” Kepler said, nodding. “Fine, you can keep your vest, and _only_ your vest. It’s going to stand out but hopefully not too much. But we are only taking what we can conceal, is that understood?”

“Yes Sir,” Alana and Daniel said, sharing a look.

* * *

 

Standing outside of the car, Daniel adjusted his jacket, making sure that his pistol was adequately hidden, the knife in his boot was secured, and the explosive odds and ends in his pockets were in place. He looked longingly at the assault rifles left in the trunk compartment, before Alana slammed it shut.

“It doesn’t look like we can go through the tunnel on foot either, so we’ll be taking the scenic route. From what the paper I was reading said, you can get to the town through here. It’s a popular hiking spot,” Alana said as they started down the steps to the pathway. “Wishing well, outlooks to snuggle up to that special someone,” she turned and winked at Daniel. “I’d love to come back here when we aren’t working and explore.”

“Yeah, you’ll change your mind soon enough,” Daniel muttered under his breath.

The walk along the lake was relatively quiet, Kepler and Alana keeping a conversation going as Daniel trailed behind them, alert and listening for anything that signified that they were being followed. He tensed when Alana peered into the wishing well, but didn’t dare look in himself.

He knew better than to tempt fate.

“Huh. It didn’t mention that the path ended at a graveyard,” Alana said, tugging at the locked gate.

“If a locked gate was all it took to keep you out of here,” Daniel said as Kepler climbed over the crumbling wall. “Then I’d be a happy man.”

“But it isn’t,” Kepler said. “So please, hurry up. We don’t have all day, Mr. Jacobi.”

“Sir, you have no idea how much I wish I could believe you when you say that.”

* * *

 

“So, what are your plans once we’re done here,” Alana asked, hooking her arm through Daniel’s. “There’s a UFO museum back in that last town, Brahams. We should get Cutter a keychain or something.”

“Chai tea in a UFO shaped tin. Do you think we could call it a bribe to get out of the next Christmas party?” he replied, hoping he sounded more relaxed than he felt.

“Oh! I hadn’t even _thought_ of that,” Alana said, delighted. “Do you think it’d work?”

“Nah, probably not.”

They’d left the graveyard and the walking path and were approximately a block from Rosewater Park when Kepler held up a hand.

“There are no people here,” he said, a frown evident in his voice. “No cars, either.”

“I don’t hear any animals or birds,” Alana said slowly, extracting her arm from Daniel’s and looking around cautiously. “Not even the lake.”

Daniel hummed, eyes narrowed. “Fog’s moving in,” he said, almost casually as he moved closer to Kepler.

“Is this normal?” Kepler asked, and Daniel shrugged.

“Depends on your definition of normal. But...yeah. We should have seen something by now…” he trailed off as he looked down the street. “Look. Lights.”

Lights that were moving _closer_. Daniel frowned. The air felt heavy, the fog thick and warm, pressing down on them. It was exactly how it’d been when he was last there. But there had never been lights before.

Kepler and Alana relaxed somewhat. “It appears we aren’t the only people here then. Come on, let’s move.” Kepler said.

Daniel shoved his hands in his pockets as they moved, eyes flitting between Kepler, Alana, and the lights. The closer they got the easier he could make out how many there were, and he faintly wished that he had his taser on him as the six drew closer.

Gunfire would just draw more _things_ out into the open.

“There’s the motel,” Alana said quietly as Kepler slowed to a stop, and Daniel grunted his eyes still on the--

“Hello there!” Kepler called out to the figures, and Daniel wanted to scream. “This sure is some weather, isn’t it?”

“What?” a confused voice answered, the people stopping in the middle of the street. “Who are you? How did you get here?”

Alana opened her mouth to answer, but Daniel elbowed her in the side, shaking his head.

“Just looking for a friend of ours,” Kepler said, walking towards them. Now Daniel wanted to scream _and_ tackle him.

“You won't find them,” a second speaker said. “You should leave.”

“Don’t say that!” another speaker hissed. “We can use them.”

Kepler stopped walking, and Daniel sighed. “And what do you mean by that?” he asked, going from jovial tourist type to mission leader in seven words.

“You should be thankful,” the third person said, and Daniel’s eyes widened. “We will give you a swifter death than you deserve.”

“ _DOWN!_ ” he shouted, yanking Alana flat as several homemade spears shot past them, embedding in the sidewalk and road behind them. Kepler had also dropped, and was already shooting by the time Daniel and Alana unholstered their pistols.

“You sinners will regret this!” one of the people shouted, the pounding of feet from their retreat nearly masking their words.

“Are you alright, Sir?” Alana asked as they jogged to where Kepler was kneeling.

“Fine,” he said, before standing and dashing forward. “They left one behind. Maxwell, Jacobi, come here.”

Daniel felt his stomach churn. He didn’t want to. He didn’t want to look down and see someone who tried to take him, tried to kill him.

“He’s still alive. I suppose my aim was a bit off with the fog,” Kepler said with a grin. “Now, what on earth was that?”

Daniel and Alana stood behind Kepler, and Daniel felt his stomach sink when the man focused on Daniel and nothing else.

“You...you’ve returned!” he gasped through the pain. “Praise God, for your daughter has returned!”

“What?” Alana said, confused. “I’ve never been here before.”

“Not you,” the cultist said, before raising an arm and pointing at Daniel. “Her.”

“ _Him_ ,” Daniel snapped, crossing his arms over his chest. “Trust me, I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for work.”

“But you did return-- The others, they must be told, they must bring you bac--!” he screamed as Kepler pressed down on his wound.

“While this is _riveting_ , why did you attack us?” he asked.

“We required blood, for the ritual. But that matters not, now that she has returned,” the cultist reached out towards Daniel, a look of glee on his face.

Kepler sighed, stood, and shot him in the head. “I believe that Mr. Jacobi prefers “he”,” he said after the fact, before turning to face Daniel. “Do you care to explain what that was?”

Daniel turned away, looking back the way they’d come. He couldn’t be sure because of the fog, but it looked like the road had broken away into pieces. “The Order,” he said, before pausing. “What’s the sound-- is that static?”

Alana held up her phone, the sound getting louder. “Yeah. I guess the fog is interfering with--” she shrieked as something rammed into Daniel, sending him flying.

He slammed into the side of a building, laying on the ground in a daze. Of course when it rained, it poured.

“What is that?!” Alana shouted, and Daniel pulled himself to his feet as the large, bulbous monster turned away from them and began to walk towards the body.

“Get away from it!” he shouted, wincing. He’d was lucky all he had was a bruise, the tactical vest doing its job well enough to keep him from breaking anything.

Alana jumped back, rushing to his side and Kepler moved the other way as the creature, the duck-like monstrosity, began to chew on the dead cultist.

“We need to move now, before more of them show up!” Daniel shouted to Kepler. “The motel! Jack’s Inn! It should be safer there.”

* * *

 

The motel office had been unlocked, thankfully, and Daniel sighed as he sat in the chair opposite the desk. Kepler had managed to avoid the numb body and he and Alana had followed Daniel as he pushed forwards to the motel.

“Now that we’re out of the street, I believe you owe us an explanation, Mr. Jacobi,” Kepler said as he locked the door and drew the blinds. If something wanted to get at them it’d just go through the blinds, but Daniel appreciated the effort.

“So, Silent Hill is home to a rather...prolific cult, considering no one outside the Order knows anything about the Order,” he said as he pulled off his layers to check where he’d been hit. “Bruised my ribs, I think. Could be worse, I guess…”

“That doesn’t explain whatever that...creature was. And you didn’t think to mention that you were once part of this cult before?”

Daniel snorted, his hand pressed to his bruised ribs as he shook his head. “You weren’t exactly the first strange man to approach me in a bar, Sir. I had my slightly exaggerated story about my overbearing, disappointed father memorized backwards and forwards, drunk, sober, or stoned to confuse the bastards who thought I needed to return to the fold. And it was easier to convince them that they had the wrong person when they were walking into a gay bar and expecting…” he trailed off, then shrugged. “Well, they were always looking for the old me. You were just the first one who wasn’t trying to drag me back to this hellhole. And that was- I called them Numb Bodies, because if they bite you, you start feeling numb.”

“But we still ended up here.” Alana said, taking his vest off his lap to look it over. “I’m sorry about bugging you on the way here, Daniel. I think I understand why you don’t like ducks now...”

“It’s fine, Alana.” Kepler was watching him with an unreadable look on his face. “I know I should have said something, Sir. Information vital to the mission and all that. I just-” he stopped, shrugging helplessly. “It’s still hard to tell who’s safe.”

“Safe?” Kepler said slowly, and Daniel made a face.

“Look, I dated this guy for two and a half years. Left the state when I overheard him making plans to knock me out and drag me back here for the “sake of the Order.”” He grimaced and decided against mentioning that he also had to kill Ethan to get away. One depressing personal story at a time. “For all I knew, I could mention the Order and end up with half of the SI department trying to bring me back here.”

“I see...Well, Mr. Jacobi, I do hope that this proves that Alana and I are…”Safe”. Is there anything else we should know?”

Alana nudged him. “You got Mr. Jacobi’d,” she mock whispered, giggling as Daniel nudged her back.

“Uh...the dead don’t stay dead, don’t answer any payphones, ghosts are real, static means something is nearby, and if you run into someone who looks familiar, turn and go the other direction. Oh, and if you find anything that looks like it could be helpful in literally any way, pick it up.”

Kepler raised an eyebrow, and Daniel shrugged. “It’s how this place works. There’s puzzles and riddles and so many fucked up doors...Our target was in this motel, yeah?” he nodded to the ledger. “His name should be in the book if he’s here and-” he turned in the chair to look at the peg board where the keys should have been hanging. “-all the keys are on the ground.”

“Room 106,” Kepler said, before tossing the ledger back on the counter. “Get dressed, Mr. Jacobi, and let’s go.”

Daniel took his vest back from Alana, then nodded to the keys. “Take a few of those, Alana. I know it’s supposed to be a quick job, but I know better than that. We might end up needing a base of operations.”

She grabbed a handful of keys, shoving them in her pocket as Daniel pulled his jacked back on. “Ready to move, Sir.”

* * *

 

There was nothing lurking in the parking lot, for which Daniel was grateful as they moved to 106. He took position opposite of Kepler as he knocked on the door.

Inside there was the sound of someone or something rustling, and the three of them nodded before Daniel slammed open the door, Kepler and Alana rushing inside.

“...hello?”

Daniel slipped inside as their target began to talk and nearly dropped his gun. He knew that voice.

“Daniel? Kid, what on earth are you doing here?”

“You died,” he said instead of replying, staring at Douglas Cartland, former cop, former private eye, former friend. “They got you, outside Salt Lake City.”

“Yeah. Guess they didn’t like people outting them,” he shrugged, before looking at Kepler and Alana. “Who’s this, then?”

“Daniel, who is that?” Alana said, and he sighed.

“Douglas Cartland, He was my legal guardian after a bunch of shit happened. He’s been dead for twelve years. Douglas, this is Alana Maxwell and-” He looked at Kepler. “Colonel Kepler. I thought we were going after a tech thief.”

“We were,” Kepler said, and Daniel almost winced. He sounded three minutes from furious, and Daniel knew it was directed at him. “Mr. Cutter received the information and passed it on to us. So either Mr. Cartland here has been stealing trade secrets after his death or--”

Douglas shook his head. “You were set up. They really wanted you back, huh kid?”

“Ran into a bunch of them in the street- they didn’t seem to know I was here,” Daniel said, holstering his weapon. “How long have you been here?”

“A week.”

“About how long it’s been since we got this mission,” Alana said slowly. “So, if you weren’t stealing secrets because you’re dead, and the cult didn’t know we were coming, then who orchestrated this?”

“That doesn’t matter,” Kepler said, holstering his weapon. “We were sent here to retrieve sensitive information which wasn’t actually stolen. Therefore, our mission is complete and we can leave.”

“If only it was that simple,” Daniel said, the same time Douglas started to laugh.

“The roads are probably out already,” he said, standing and pulling the blinds up to look outside. “I wouldn’t be surprised if you’re completely blocked off from that area.”

“So what do you propose we do?”

* * *

 

Kepler, Alana, and Daniel all gave the motel room a look of distaste. From the carpet to the pair of beds to the single chair and grungy washroom, it was a dump.

“We’ll be take shifts,” Kepler said, taking a seat in the chair. “Jacobi, I’ll wake you in four hours, then you’ll wake Maxwell. Then we’ll get moving.”

“Sleep in your gear,” Daniel said, climbing into one of the beds. “This place...it’ll try and separate us. Take away any advantages we have. Don’t shut the washroom door all the way either.”

“Really?” Alana said, but Daniel ignored her, settling into sleep.

* * *

 

It had been a good forty-five minutes since Alana took watch, and Daniel still couldn’t sleep. It wasn’t because of Douglas in the room across the parking lot, it wasn’t because they’d been attacked by the fucking monsters, it wasn’t because of the cult, it wasn’t because he’d told the others a little of his past. With a groan he rolled over, wincing as a sharp pain lanced through his side.

Then he sat straight up in the bed, eyes wide with horror. Alana turned in the chair, but he ignored her, scrambling up and into the washroom. Every fiber of his being screamed to slam the door, but Daniel didn’t on the off chance everything would change again, separating him from his team.

“Daniel?” Alana called, standing in the doorway but out of the room. “Dan, what’s wrong?”

He ignored her, standing over the sink dry-heaving, tears streaming down his face as he shook.

“What’s going on? Sit-rep, doctor,” Kepler asked, weapon drawn.

“I don’t know, Sir. Jacobi just got out bed and ran to the washroom. I didn’t see anything strange in the room, and he wasn’t asleep before getting up,” Alana replied.

Still shaking, Daniel turned on the water, and once he was sure it was clear, clean water he splashed it on his face. Then he sank to the ground, back to the door and up against the tub, and curled up in a ball.

“I can’t-- I can’t do this. Not again,”  he muttered to himself, shaking violently as he tried not to cry too loud, as he tried not to break into hysterical laughter. “I don’t...I don’t know how to stop this? How can I--”

Daniel jolted, moving closer to the tub as Kepler knelt down, a hand on his shoulder. “Jacobi. Daniel, what’s wrong?” he asked quietly, Alana standing in the doorway, eyes on the motel room. “Is it something in the motel room?”

“No.”

“Okay, is it something we can change?”

“No.”

“Right.” Kepler turned to look at Alana, before turning back to Daniel. “Do you think you can stand?”

Daniel shook his head, before squawking as Kepler picked him up.

“I feel like this is a conversation we should not have on the floor of a grungy washroom,” he said by way of an explanation as he placed Daniel on the bed. “Alana, help me move these beds together.”

Daniel watched as Kepler and Alana began to rearrange the room before the both of them joined him on the bed, one on each side.

“So,” he said, talking before they could ask any questions, before he lost his nerve and he started shaking again. “I didn’t tell you guys the exact truth. About the cult, the Order. Why they want me back.” He pulled his legs up, staring at the wall as he started to speak.

“All of this started years before me. Back in the 60’s, a little girl was born. Her name was Alessa, and her mother was one of the- let’s just say she was hugely important in the cult. I never really learned what Dahlia’s role was in the Order, and it’s not anything I want to know about. Anyways, Alessa was special. I don’t know if it was something Dahlia did when she was pregnant or if Alessa was just born with the powers.”

“Powers?” Alana asked, before hooking her arm in Daniels.

“Telekinesis, fire starting, all that shit people have in movies. Her classmates called her a witch, adults were scared of her. When she was seven there was a fire and she died- the boiler exploded suddenly. Or that’s what they reported. See, the God they follow, she’d left or died or _something_ and Alessa was...She was going to be the Mother of God, whether she wanted to or not.”

“Jesus…” Any other time and Daniel would have taken pride in the fact that he made Kepler speechless. Instead he began to relax, leaning over and resting his head on Kepler’s shoulder. It made a difference, being in Silent Hill with the people he loved.

“A few days after the fire, a man and his wife found a baby on the side of the road and adopted her. Her name was Cheryl and she was...she was a regular kid. Mrs. Mason, Jodie, died when she was three, but Harry, Dad...he was the best. Her and Dad were on a trip here when the car crashed and...When Alessa burnt, she did _something_. Split her soul, I guess? Anyways, they couldn’t summon their God without Alessa and Cheryl. So Dahlia took Alessa from the hospital and took Cheryl from the car crash and they created a monster. By the time Dad finished destroying it, Cheryl and Alessa were gone, and there I was.”

He shifted. He didn’t want to tell this part, he really didn’t. But the sick feeling, the cramps...that could only mean one thing.

“I was seventeen when they killed my dad. I was, well, I was me? But I had longer hair and spent a lot of time in miniskirts. And before you say anything, my legs looked amazing in them and they probably still do, except that wouldn’t be the most tactically appropriate outfit for this...thing we’re doing. But, yeah, no. I went to the mall one day and by the time I got home my father was dead and I’d been attacked by one too many phallic monsters.”

Alana snorted, before sobering up. “Sorry. Keep going, Dan.”

“Douglas...he drove me here that night. I’d encountered a woman named Claudia who...she’d been Alessa’s friend, her only friend. And she believed so entirely that Alessa would want that damn God to be born.  Born of hate, after she killed my dad. And since...I guess I was kind of Alessa in a way, I got the job of...you know.”

“And it’s happening again?” Kepler asked softly, and Daniel nodded before burying his head in his arms.

“Lead us into paradise with bloodstained hands,” he muttered. “Hate makes it grow, and I’ve been so damn angry the entire time we’ve been here.”

“So you’re…” Alana shook her head. “Okay, how do we abort it?”

“I have no goddamn idea,” Daniel said with a bitter laugh. “Last time Dad...there was this crystal in a necklace he’d given me. I swallowed it, because it felt like the right thing to do, and threw up the fetus. And before you say that isn’t possible...trust me, I know. It shouldn’t be, but it is.”

“Right. Any idea where to find any more of this...crystal?” Kepler asked, and Daniel shook his head. “Right. We’ll have to find someone who might have some information tomorrow.”

“Is there anything else we should know, Dan? People to be careful of?” Alana asked, and he shrugged.

“Dahlia’s dead, Claudia and Vincent too. Kaufmann, Leonard, Lisa, Douglas and Dad...They’re dead as well. I don’t know any other names, Alessa didn’t either.”

“And the Order?”

Daniel shrugged again. “The amusement park, Balkan Church, Alchemilla Hospital, and Green Lion Antiques. The whole town, basically.”

“Right. First order of business- Both of you need more sleep, and we’ll move out in the morning.” Kepler nudged Daniel, then looked at Alana. “Trust me, and get some sleep.”

Daniel was asleep before the lights went out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Daniel Jacobi, sitting in the backseat: God this is the worst road trip ever
> 
> * * *
> 
> So I was planning on writing my Christmas fic and instead this happened... To everyone in the Wolf 359 fandom, I'm sorry but nooooot really.
> 
> * * *
> 
> * About half-way to Silent Hill, Kepler pulled over and made Alana and Daniel swap seats because Daniel's brooding was "ruining the mood"  
> * "We haven't been able to get a good round of 'Fortunately/Unfortunately' going because of you."  
> * "Good."  
> * Daniel took his name from Douglas's sons middle name and Jodie Mason's maiden name  
> * It's going to get a lot worse before it gets better  
> * I've decided that numb bodies look more duck-like in this universe


	2. Chapter 2

Daniel woke up with a start, jolting into wakefulness and staring up at the ceiling in confusion. He didn’t feel hungover, so why was he in bed with his clothing on- holster and shoes and his vest? How had he ended up with-- why was he in bed with Alana when she had her own room? Why was he in bed with _ Kepler _ ? Oh god, he was in bed with Kepler but he was fully clothed and with Alana this was both his worst nightmare and greatest fantasy.

“Alana…” he hissed, poking her in the side. “Alana, what the fuck is going on?”

She sat up, scrubbing the drool from her face. “Dan? Ow, fuck...my neck is killing me.” She climbed off the bed, stumbling a little before looking at the washroom. “Silent Hill, remember? Okay I know you said not to close the door in case we get separated, but I’m not going to the washroom in full view of you or our  _ boss _ . If something eats me, tell my computer I loved her.”

The door shut behind her, and Daniel groaned, turning his head to the other side of the bed. Kepler was still asleep, holding tightly to one of Daniel’s arms and as he tried to pull away, Kepler made a grunting noise and held on tighter.

“Kepler, Sir. Kepler. Colonel Kepler.” Daniel sighed. “As much as I’d love for this to be a thing, I do need my arm back.” he looked over as Alana made her way out of the washroom, her face and hair damp with water. “Help.”

She snickered, and shook her head. “Are you sure you want me to help? Or would you rather I leave you to it?”

“I  _ did _ tell you about the god-baby-thing inside of me, right?” he replied, before tugging on his arm again. “Come onnnnnn, please wake up. I want to get whatever needs to be done  _ done _ so we can leave and never return.” Daniel paused. “I...It might be because of the town. I don’t know, I never slept here before.”

“Colonel Kepler!” Alana shrieked. “Colonel! Jacobi set fire to the hotel room! Again!”

“That was  _ once _ !” Daniel shouted, pointing at her. “And it wouldn’t have happened if you hadn’t come up behind me and jabbed me in the side!”

“Well, how was I supposed to know you were ticklish there?!” She shouted back, her hands on her hips.

“I’m not ticklish! I just have a sensitive stomach area!”

“Oh yeah? Wanna test that Dan?”

“If you come near me ‘Lana I swear to God-” A pillow bounced off of Alana’s head, then another off of Daniel’s. He turned to the side and sighed as Kepler sat up, arms crossed and eyebrows raised.

“Care to explain the shouting?” he asked.

“You were holding Daniel’s arm hostage and I thought making a lot of noise would wake you up,” Alana said cheerily. “And it did, and that’s why I’m the smarter agent.”

“I’m the hot one,” Daniel said on reflex, before standing and stretching. “That was, somehow, both the best and the worst sleep I’ve had in awhile. These beds must be stuffed with rocks or something.”

“You slept in your gear, Daniel,” Kepler said, standing as well. “That’s why you’re sore.”

“Yeah, that too I guess. Uh,” He hesitated, before stealing the chair away from Alana. “I should probably tell you about the things we’ll run into here.”

“That would be helpful, yes.” Kepler said, and Daniel wrinkled up his nose. 

“The names are dumb but I needed some way to identify what was trying to kill me so...yeah. Numb Bodies are those...honking duck-chicken things like the one that hit me earlier. If they bite you you’ll start to go numb around the site but it doesn’t last too long. Nurses are...well they look a little like people. I only ever saw them in the hospital, but they’re armed with pistols, pipes, and knives so they’re pretty dangerous. Closers are these big...things. They hit you with their arms and then get you with the mouth. They can be avoided but they have a pretty big range. Doublehead dogs are, well, dogs but their heads are split in half. The Insane Cancers are big and slow but they do a lot of damage and they eat up bullets like a sponge. Slurpers are like smaller versions of the Closers, but they go after your legs and try and knock you down so they can get at your throat. Pendulums, which are like meat-sacks with blades, Missionaries which look like guys with bags on their head and garden shears...And that’s just what I saw.”

Daniel shrugged. “Alessa had her own monsters.”

“So, basically, you’re saying we just need to run away from them,” Alana said, nodding. “Because I doubt we’ll have the ammunition to take out everything we see.”

“Fuck, no. We won’t make it a block if we do that.” Daniel said. “What’s the plan, Sir?”

“We try to get back to the vehicle. I know you said it’s unlikely we’ll get back there,” Kepler said, holding up a hand. “But I think it’ll be good to at least try. You’re the only one in any practical gear, Daniel.”

As they started to leave the motel, Daniel hesitated. 

“Actually, I want to just check with Douglas about something,” he said, pushing the door to 106 open. “Douglas?”

“Hey kid. You three on your way?”

Daniel paused, looking Douglas over. He looked the same as he did when he drove him into Silent Hill the first time, trench coat and hat, and for a moment Daniel felt a pang of homesickness. 

“Yeah. Don’t tell Kepler but I’m sure we’ll be back soon enough,” he said, grinning as Kepler shouted back that he  _ “could hear him, Daniel” _ . I just wanted to know...You don’t happen to know where the cult is gathered these days?”

Douglas shook his head. “I hadn’t really gone looking for them, but I can start. I’ll leave notes, in case I disappear.”

“Thanks. Uh, also...Aglaophotis.”

Douglas gave him a baffled look. “Gesundheit?”

“It’s a...It’s something I need. If I don’t find some, the cult might get their wish. It’s either a liquid or a crystal, red coloured. If the cult knows where any is, it’s probably under guard.” He frowned. “I wish I knew where dad found it in the first place…”

Douglas pulled a pad of paper out of his pocket, scribbling down what Daniel assumed was his attempt at spelling Aglaophotis, before nodding. “Okay. I’ll leave updates in your room, and if I can’t I’ll leave them pinned to the wall or something.”

* * *

 

“So, Douglas. How did you two meet?” Kepler asked, and after a second Daniel realized that he was trying to be casual. “He doesn’t seem like your...type.”

Daniel grabbed onto Alana’s arm, pulling her to a stop as he burst into a fit of giggles. “God! No, fuck, we met when I was seventeen, when I was still in my miniskirt phase. Claudia hired him to find me, but when he realized what was happening he decided to help me instead. You do remember me saying that he was my legal guardian for a few years, right?” Kepler gave him a blank look, and Daniel snorted. “I can’t believe you forgot that I said that. And what’s with that kind of question?”

“It’s nothing,” Kepler said, turning to lead the way again, crossing to the other side of Munson street.

“I think he was jealous,” Alana whispered.

“No shit,” Daniel replied quietly, but not quietly enough to stop Kepler from hearing and turning so he was walking backwards, his eyes on the two of them. “You’re going to trip over the curb and die if you keep walking like that.”

As Kepler turned back to the road, Alana leaned in close and spoke even quieter. “Are you  _ sure _ you two aren’t sleeping together yet?”

Daniel coughed something that sounded vaguely like “pretty sure,” and stopped to stand beside Kepler, the three of them looking into the pit that had appeared in the middle of the road. “So, we have a few options here. We can turn back and head further into town instead, looking for the cult and god-be-gone. We can look for another road or alley that heads in this direction. Or we can see if we can get through any of these buildings to get to the other side.”

“God-be-gone? Is that the over the counter name?” Kepler grinned, and Daniel grinned back. “Let’s check the other roads, then I’d like to try and go through a building. It’s obvious that we shouldn’t leave until this cult and your--” he paused. “Until we’re finished with everything in town.”

“You can say my pregnancy. That is what it is, and it doesn’t bother me,” Daniel said, and Alana sighed. “What?”

“It definitely bothers you, Dan. You’re doing your defensive hunch right now.” He blinked at her, and put his arms down, trying to relax. “Let’s call it your...parasite? No...uhm..”

“Your hanger-on?” Kepler offered, and Daniel shook his head.

“I think I’ll just go with cramps,” he said. “You don’t still have that pamphlet, do you Alana?”

“I do, actually.” She passed it over, and Daniel unfolded the map. It was for tourists, but it was still a map. “I don’t have a marker though.”

“I keep one on me.” Daniel pulled it out of his bits and bobs pocket and scribbled out the road in front of them. “It’s easier to keep track of things if we know where we can and can’t go. This shit changes all the time, but for now…”

“We can go through this alley here and try to either get into the apartment complex or one of the stores along Neely street,” Kepler said, taking the map from Daniel. “Or we can try further down Munson street...Thoughts?”

“We’re out in the open here, lots of places for monsters to hide. That’s not to mention the reduced visibility from the fog. I think we should attempt to breach one of the buildings and move through there,” Alana said. “You said static is all the warning we’ll have?”

“Yeah, usually. Our phones should work for now, but I’d kill for a little pocket radio,” Daniel said. “I agree with Alana...although I’m not sure if we’ll be able to actually get into the buildings. This place is particular about that kind of thing.”

“You’re making it sound like- clear -this town’s alive, Daniel,” Kepler said as he swept the alley for anything.

“It might be. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was and it just considers the shit that goes on here to be some kind of big joke.” Alana went next, Daniel bringing up the rear. “That being said...we should have seen something else by this point.”

Alana smack him in the arm. “Are you trying to jinx us?” she hissed as they approached the apartment doors. 

“Trust me, it’s more worrying that we’ve been left alone than anything, ‘Lana. Either we’re really lucky, or something is about to ruin our year, never mind out day.” Daniel kept his eyes on the alley entrance as Kepler rattled the door knob. “Not open?”

“It’s stuck,” he said, before backing up and kicking the frame. “I’m going to try and get it open.”

“It’s not going to work,” Daniel warned. “If the door is stuck, it’s stuck for good.”

“Thank you for your input, Jacobi,” Kepler snapped, sliding back into last name territory and Daniel contained the urge to sigh. Being Daniel had been nice while it lasted. 

* * *

 

After several tense minutes and Kepler’s frustration audibly growing more and more, he abandoned the door and stalked down the stairs to where Daniel and Alana were keeping watch.

“Any more suggestions, Jacobi?” he asked, and Daniel nodded. 

“We try the delivery doors for the shops on Neely, then we could try further up the street, see if we can get through that way,” he said. “If you’re okay with that, of course.”

Daniel shared a look with Alana as Kepler climbed up onto one of the loading dock pads, testing the back door before reaching for the delivery door. After a second Daniel joined him and they strained to pull it up.

“Next,” Kepler said, and he nodded. 

They tried three more before they reached the door to the pet store. Alana reached for the knob, only to jump as something growled, slamming into the door.

“Doublehead, probably. I’ll bet a coke that we can get through that door,” Daniel said, reaching for the knob. “On your word, Sir.”

And he opened the door.

* * *

The three of them cleared out the three doublehead dogs and a strange flying creature that Daniel vaguely remembered being called an air screamer, then did a sweep of the store. It looked both abandoned and recently stocked, piles of canned pet food on the shelves and floor.

There was also a vaguely ominous message carved into the wood of the counter, under a single, half-empty box of 9mm. handgun rounds. 

“ _ ‘Neely’s Bar never closes, drink away the disappointments with the queens’ _ . Well, that’s not as bad as it could have been,” Daniel said, reading the message before taking a photo with his phone. “At least it isn’t “Find the holy one. Kill her.” or a bunch of stalker-ish diaries from Stanley.”

“Stanley?” Kepler asked, frowning at the message as he pocketed the rounds.

Daniel shrugged. “Didn’t know him, but apparently he knew me? I ended up looking for Claudia’s father in Brookhaven, the hospital back there, and Stanley was a patient. I found diaries written like he was following me but staying out of sight, and I’d find them when I’d go into rooms, the stairwell...But he was also dead so…” He frowned. “God, if we go back in there I really hope he doesn’t come back. I don’t need a ghost stalker.”

“Is there anything that you didn’t encounter here?” Alana asked. “Like, you have a cult, a ghost who is also a stalker, the ghost of your former parental figure-” her eyes shot to Kepler and she nearly grinned. “-cramps, duck trauma…”

“Haunted or cursed amusement park,” Daniel added. “I nearly got run over by a roller coaster.”

“Why on earth were you on the tracks in the first place?!” Alana groaned, leaning over onto Daniel and aggressively ruffling his hair. “Are you an idiot? Were you trying to get run over?”

“I was trying to get from one half of the park to the other, and it was that or try and jump a thirty-foot pit,” he said, shoving her away with one hand as he tried not to grin. “Should we head out?”

“Yes, lets.” As Kepler pushed the door open, something small and smokey-looking scuttled past. “...what was that?”

Daniel and Alana sobered up, weapons out and eyes open. 

“I don’t know. It’s not one of mine- it could be one of Alessa’s but...those ones didn’t leave the school,” Daniel said as they stepped out into the street. His phone was playing static, but nothing seemed to be getting closer, nor further away. “Something new maybe? Someone in the cult, or--”

He wanted to go back into the pet store and bash his head into the counter half a dozen times. The message wasn’t for  _ him _ , there were two other people traveling alongside him and they worked for SI-5. There was no way they  _ didn’t _ have issues.

“Or…?” Kepler prompted, and he made a face.

“Or these could be your monsters. Or Alana’s. Either of you have any repressed memories you want to bring up?” He sighed. “I didn’t even think about you two having anything...here. As far as I know, as far as Douglas found out when he was looking into the cult and the town afterwards, no one comes into this hell and leaves without seeing something.” Daniel paused. “Well, there was an eight-year-old but she was  _ eight _ .” 

“Who else came here?” Alana asked as they headed down Neely St.

“Guy who killed his wife, woman who killed her rapist father, guy who shot a football player and a dog, guy who accidently killed his younger brother and repressed the memory, a man who needed to get over the guilt of his son dying...people who felt that they needed punishment, redemption, to remember something they’d done or someone they knew.” Daniel frowned as Katz St. lead to yet another crumbling piece or road. “A trucker who helped Alessa do whatever it was that she did remembered how his mother tried to kill him, and his father’s suicide.”

“So if I forgot someone’s birthday, we’ll be attacked by giant present wielding monsters?” Kepler asked, trying to keep things light which Daniel appreciated even if it didn’t really fit.

“More like we might be walking out of town knowing why Alana doesn’t talk to her family anymore,” he said, bumping arms with her. “And any dark secrets relating to the time you probably forgot...I don’t know, Cutter’s birthday and he sent you a frowny face emoji. Or something.”

“Or something,” Alana echoed. “Wait. Is the static getting...louder? And what’s that smell?”

Her and Daniel pulled out their phones, but Kepler waved for them to put them away. “I have eyes on a target,” he said, nodding to the Happy Burger ahead of them. 

Crowded around the drive-thru sign was a handful of the smoky monsters, all of them making a chittering noise as they milled around. Standing nearby was a closer, and for a moment Daniel felt his breath catch in his throat.

Before, the closers had looked like they were wrapped in meat packing paper, tan and brown and horrifying all the same. Now, though...the monster looked like it’d just walked out of a fire. One arm looked like black, crumbling charcoal while the other was red and bubbling, like burnt skin. 

He felt sick, but it wasn’t the time or place to think about his desire to crawl into a dark space and reaffirm  _ who _ he was. 

“The closer looks...burnt. That’s the smell,” he said as they drew closer. “Should we push ahead?”

“I want to know if we can move through that way,” Kepler said, nodding and beginning to move forwards. “Keep close, you two.”

“Yes Sir,” they said, creeping forwards. The smoke monsters didn’t seem to notice them approaching and the closer was facing away, which was why when Alana screamed it startled them so badly.

She was surrounded by more of the smoky things, climbing up her legs and puling at her pants until she collapsed inwards on herself. Daniel kicked through them, reaching down into a bitter cold to grab Alana by the wrist and haul her out of the mess.

Of course, that was when the closer turned and came lumbering towards them. 

“Any recommendations where to shoot this thing?” Kepler shouted as he began to pepper it was pistol fire. 

“Head? Fuck, I don’t know!” Daniel shouted back. “Fuck!”

Alana’s hand had slipped from his and he darted forwards and dove, grabbing her out of the cloud of black crying things and rolling to the side. Heaving himself to his feet, Daniel picked Alana up and bolted back to Kepler’s side, stepping through the smoke monsters and making them scream. 

“The bar!” Daniel shouted, before heading back up the street without waiting for Kepler. Neely’s had two doors and he was sure one of them was open. 

* * *

 

Alana was sitting on a bar stool, Daniel’s jacket around her shoulders, shuddering. She had black handprints on her arms and clothing, and he’d bet that under her pants there were marks as well. Kepler had followed behind, kicking through the shadows and slamming the door shut behind him. 

There was some remnant of a message on the one wall, but he ignored it in favour of giving Alana a once over. 

“W-w-well,” she chattered, wincing as his hands flitted over the black marks. “N-now I know what you meant, D-d-dan.”

“I wasn’t joking about this place,” he replied, the worry sounding more like anger. “People die here all the time. Those people I mentioned earlier? Four of them died here or soon after leaving. Toluca Lake is filled with bodies. There was a ferry that sank, a bout of...I think spanish flu that killed about seventy percent of the population, murder victims, suicide victims, children put into that lake to die...and no one goes diving for the bodies because they’re scared of what they’ll find down there.” He paused, then laughed. “That’s why there’s only two cemeteries- because of all the dead in the lake.”

Alana opened her arms and pulled Daniel into a hug. “If either of you die, it’s my fault,” he said into her shoulder as he put his hands under her shirt and on her back. “I won’t let this place kill you, even if it kills me.”

Alana moved her arms and with a sigh Kepler moved in to hug her, and Daniel, as well. “Daniel,” he said, and Daniel hummed. “You are not responsible for us. We are all highly trained operatives and you shouldn’t feel responsible for me or Alana. If anything, I’m the one responsible for this mess.”

Daniel shuddered like he was the one who’d been manhandled by the monsters. “I know this place, and I didn’t give you adequate information when we got here. Not to mention we’re going to be targeted because of me.” Kepler pinched his arm and he made a face. “Fine. It’s not my fault, but I’ll still feel like it is if anything happens.”

“I suppose that’ll have to be good enough,” Kepler said over his head to Alana, who snorted.

“Yep.”

* * *

 

Daniel gave the bottles under the dilapidated bar a look of longing, but didn’t reach for them. Unless something out there was going to give him a puzzle that required an embarrassing level of drunkenness, he wasn’t eating or drinking anything in the town. 

His stomach didn’t appreciate the sentiment, but he pushed the hunger away and stood, shaking his head. “Nothing here. Unless you want dusty and/or label-less alcohol.”

“Nothing in the rest of the room either,” Alana reported, his jacket zipped up on her. “There’s something about… _ ’not going’ _ and  _ ‘Mary’ _ on the wall, but it looks like it’s been here for ages.”

“I may have found something,” Kepler said from the back room. “An assortment of chess pieces and a chess board. Should I bring it out?”

“Yeah. For all we know there’s something inside of the board,” Daniel said, hopping the bar. “You sure you’re fine, ‘Lana?”

“Mhm. I’m still cold, but I’m not...it was like an ache. Like the cold was seeping into my bones.” she said. “Why couldn’t this have just been a malignant A.I or something? I can handle those in my sleep.”

“Because where’s the challenge in that?” he replied as Kepler set the ornate chess set on the table. “I’m terrible at chess.”

“It’s a good thing we most likely don’t need to play a game. These three pieces are stuck to the board and it does rattle,” Kepler said as he pointed to the two queens and a pawn. “Then there’s also a rook, a knight, a king, and one and a half bishops.”

“We have to find the other half of the bishop,” Daniel said, before groaning. “God fucking damnit. Where are we supposed to find that?”

“Uh…” Alana pulled her hand out of the jacket pocket, holding the other half of the bishop and a piece of paper. “This...I don’t think this was in here before.”

As Daniel checked all of his pockets for any more spontaneous puzzle related gifts, Kepler read out the note.

“ _ ”Three queens fighting a war. One burnt, one fried, one eaten. The king stands between two queens, facing the one who wasn’t burnt or eaten. A knight to protect the burnt queen faces down the eaten queen, but is within striking range. The cracked bishop stands behind the eaten queen while the whole confronts her. A rook stands with the king, but faces the burnt queen.” _ ”

He looked at Daniel. “Does that make any sense to you?”

“Harry,” Daniel pointed to the knight. “The rook is...Probably Lisa, but it could be Cybil. The burnt queen is me, the fried is Dahlia, and the eaten is Claudia. The bishops have to be Leonard and Vincent, and the king is Kaufmann.”

“How are we supposed to know which way is ‘facing’ the burnt queen?” Alana asked, picking up the piece. “Oh, never mind, there’s a little...symbol? There’s something etched into it.”

“Halo of the Sun,” Daniel said, nodding. “Makes sense. So I’m going to go out on a limb and say that the pawn is the burnt queen. Moving across the board and all that. The other queens are both pretty much the same distance...Do you think this puzzle uses actual chess rules?”

“Looks like it,” Kepler said, before cracking his knuckles. “You know, this reminds me of a story.”

Daniel and Alana groaned.

* * *

 

“-and long story short, that’s why chewing gum is banned in Singapore. Ah! There we go.” 

With a click, Kepler put the last piece on the board and the pawn caught fire. Daniel jolted away in surprise, angry at himself for flinching. At the same time, a panel opened in the side of the board and Alana reached in quickly, pulling out a key.

“ _ K. Gordan, _ ” she read off the tag.

“Levin St.” Daniel added, before sighing. “That’s on the other side of the lake, in Old Silent Hill. He was Alessa’s teacher, one of the few people who actually gave a shit about her.”

“Then to Levin St. we go,” Kepler said as Alana pocketed the key. “Ready?”

“No,” Daniel said as he stepped out into the street. “And I never will be.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me: Man this is fun but I don't think anyone will like this  
> Nile: *encourages me*  
> Me: So what if I just fucking ruin Daniel Jacobi's life?
> 
> * * *
> 
> * I'm proud of the puzzle that I bs'd into existence   
> * I have so many headcanons so I apologize in advance (no i don't)  
> * I had other notes but I can't remember what I was going to type so Oh Well


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warnings for this chapter: Death, Suicide, Talk of Vomiting, Daniel being misgendered (briefly)

The smoke-monsters, which Daniel privately named Nappers, were still crowded around the Happy Burger and the corpse of the dead closer when they exited the bar. A few of them howled upon seeing them exit Neely’s and Kepler and Daniel hustled Alana ahead, back to the pet store.

“How should we deal with those things?” Alana wheezed, sounding out of breath when she shouldn’t have been. “Do we just-just run through them?”

“Sit,” Kepler said, pushing her down onto one of the shelves. “Let me see your arms, where you were grabbed.”

She slid out of Daniel’s coat, and Daniel hissed. Where before the prints on her skin were black on her dark skin, now they looked almost purple-black-white, like a galaxy eating away at her. “We’re going back to the inn.”

Kepler turned, mouth open to probably argue, but Daniel kept talking. “There’s a first aid kit in the office and we need to do  _ something _ so this doesn’t get worse. And if Douglas is there, maybe he’s found any information about these new monsters or the cult.”

“There was also a lost and found in the office as well- I think you should layer up, Alana.” Kepler turned to Daniel, and smiled. “Good thinking.”

* * *

By the time they made their way back to the motel office, Alana was leaning on Kepler’s shoulder as Daniel lead the way. The door was still unlocked, thankfully, and he let Kepler get Alana seated as he dug through the first aid kid. 

Bandages, painkillers, gloves, and antiseptic he set on the desk, before holding a dark brown bottle out to Alana. “Get undressed and drink this.”

She blinked twice, took the bottle, then looked back up. “I’m not getting undressed in front of you!” 

“I’m so gay, Alana, and you aren’t going to have anything I haven’t seen before,” Daniel said, frowning. “Besides, we need to check and make sure all of your wounds are taken care of.”

“I can stand in the corner, if you’d like,” Kepler said dryly as he pulled the box of lost items out and set it up beside the medical supplies 

“...Could you? Sorry, Sir.” Alana uncapped the bottle and slugged it back, before making a face. “What the hell is this?”

“Hell if I know,” Daniel said, helping her out of her clothing. “But I drank a lot of them while I was here last time and they were the only things keeping me going...shit Alana.”

She sat in her underwear and scowled at him, twelve prints that Daniel could count on her skin. Some of them were still black, while the others had turned a mottled-galaxy colour, and she rested her arms on the desk as Daniel began to clean and wrap her wounds.

“I’m going to scar, aren’t I?” she asked, standing so he could check her back for more mottled tissue. “And why the fuck would you ask me to drink some mystery drink? Why would  _ you  _ drink a mystery drink?”

“Look, I was seventeen and had no first aid skills and they helped, not to mention there wasn’t much in terms of medical supplies. Besides, I didn’t die, so you’ll be fine.” Alana winced as he disinfected and dressed the wounds. “I have no idea, ‘Lana. It depends on what leaves this place with you...I horked up an entire like...chicken-sized fetus and didn’t suffer any ill effects past my mouth tasting like pennies for an hour.” 

“Lovely,” Kepler said, and Daniel grinned at the distaste in his voice. “Can I turn around now? I feel like I’ve developed a bond with this piece of drywall and the stains on it.”

“One second- ow- Sir. Just putting more clothing on.” Alana said as she carefully shimmied back into her jeans and tshirt. “You can turn around and help Daniel truss me up like a mid-80’s turkey.”

She paused. 

“Is it bad that I think I’m hungry?”

* * *

After Daniel finished explaining why it was better to not eat any food they found in Silent Hill, his mind flashing back to the fucking roasted dog he found, they stopped by their room. 

“You said this was called the Halo of the Sun?” Kepler asked as the three of them looked at the symbol painted on the wall.

“Yeah. Fucking thing gives me a headache if I look at it too long...You still have those other keys, right Alana?” Daniel asked, not surprised at all that the cult had been in the space they claimed as theirs.

“Yeah. Room swapping?” she asked as she pulled the key for their room out of her pocket and tossed it into the trash can.

“Probably for the best.”

Douglas’s room wasn’t much better, papers littered the floor and another Halo painted on the wall greeting them when they opened the door.

“Hm...it looks like Douglas was back before this happened,” Kepler said. “ _ ”The cult is gathering at the lake. No leads on aglaophotis” _ . Should we head to the lake then?”

“We might as while,” Alana said, taking the map and marker out. “We’ll have to go along it to get to Levin St...We’ll have to basically go across the lake.”

“If we’re lucky, we won’t have to. I never went on the lake, but Alessa heard all kinds of stories about what happened there.” Daniel shuddered, grateful that one of the clothing items Alana had put on was a hoodie so he could have his jacket back. “And I don’t fancy going for a swim if we can’t find a boat.”

“The expenses office wouldn't be happy if all three of us put in for new phones either,” Kepler added, and this time all three of them shuddered. There was a reason each member of the SI department dreaded meeting with Mrs. Flavell to go over budgeting and expenses, and none of them wanted to try and explain cults and water monsters to her.

“Right...yeah lets...not do that,” Alana said, making a face. “Do we just want to go up Nathan Ave. towards the historical society, or should we go to the park to confront the cult?”

“It’s a big lake, they might be on the other side,” Daniel pointed out. “Are you sure you’re good to go? You aren’t feeling cold or unsteady?”

“I’m fine,  _ dad _ . And why would Douglas go to the other side, come back to leave the note, then leave again? I bet a coke they’re in the park.”

“...lets just try going up Nathan. The less I interact with the cult, the better.”

* * *

Daniel needed to learn to keep his mouth shut. They’d made it partway up the avenue, only for the loud roar of water to assault them as the road crumbled to pieces in front of them, leaving their only option to be Rosewater park. 

“Have I mentioned lately that I hate this town?” Daniel asked as Alana threaded her arm through his. “I hate it, and I think if at any point Goddard declares war on the United States, they should focus on bombing the hell out of this shithole first.”

“A rather...extreme opinion if I might say so...Would you settle for me recommending it be purchased and decommissioned?”

Daniel looked blankly at Kepler. “They’ve done that?”

“Well, no. But I’m sure once we explain what happened here and your connection to the town-” Daniel stopped walking, Alana stopped walking, and Kepler paused. “Is something wrong?”

“No one hears about this. You two had better take this-” he motioned around, and to himself. “-to your graves. I- we have no idea how many people in the organization are part of the Order. If we were back there and Mr. Cutter put out a memo requesting that I be apprehended and brought to Silent Hill…” he trailed off. “Look, thing is no one hears about this. If they get touchy because they couldn’t get in contact or we took too long to head back, we can tell them that I got wasted and tossed in the drunk tank.”

“Again?” Alana asked.

“Again,” Daniel confirmed. “Look, maybe it’s just paranoia but I’m not telling a damn person about what’s happening here.”

“That’s fair,” Kepler said. “Shall we continue?”

* * *

As the three of them drew closer to the park, it almost seemed to be getting darker, and Daniel scowled. None of them had radios or flashlights yet, and their phones could only do so much. And as it grew darker, they could see lights in front of the lake, could hear people singing and chanting and praying.

Daniel grabbed Alana’s hand, and she squeezed it.

“We’ll be good, Dan,” she muttered, and he hoped he could believe her. “You’ve got both of us.”

“I know,” he muttered back as they drew closer. “We should probably keep our hands on our guns. And don’t let any of them get behind you. Those harpoon-spear-gun-things they shot at us last time probably aren’t the only things they have.” This he said louder, and he almost relaxed seeing Kepler resting his hand on the holster of his gun.

Almost, because as they made their way down the path towards the water, he could make out what they were chanting. A prayer to God.

“ _ Oh, Lord, save us with your compassion. Oh, Lord, shower us with your blessings. Oh, Lord, favor us with your abundance, _ ” dozens of people intoned in unison, and as they drew closer, Daniel began to feel nauseated. Ahead of them was a jetty out over the lake, a pregnant woman was on her knees as another woman stood above her.

“Silence!” The woman shouted, and the cultists fell silent. “We are here to fix our most sacrilegious of mistakes! We thought we could bring about another Holy One, another Mother of God, but our Lord was displeased with our actions.”

“How so, Sister Lily?” Someone in the crowd shouted out. “Were we not dutiful in our worship?”

“We were, oh we were, my brothers and sisters. But our Lord saw our actions, our attempts to bless Sister Dahlia, and punished us with disease. But we have remained faithful, and for this She has granted our prayers. She brought our lost one back to us.” She pointed into the crowd, and both Kepler and Alana drew their guns. “The Holy Mother returns!”

Daniel froze, his hands shaking instead of reaching for his gun as the crowd turned to face him. Some of them started to cry, others stepped towards them with hands outstretched. Kepler stepped in front of him, and they stopped, watching Daniel.

“And now,” Lily said, stealing the attention back to herself. “Sister Dahlia, please stand.”

The pregnant woman, Sister Dahlia, stood and Daniel felt his throat catch at the sight of weights around her middle and neck. She bowed to the crowd,  _ to him _ , before she turned and calmly, purposefully, walked off the jetty and into the lake.

“ _ No! _ ” he screamed, Alana gasping in horror and Kepler swearing in shock as the woman’s body splashed and sank, and Daniel charged forwards. The crowd held him back long enough for Kepler and Alana to grab his arms and he stumbled back behind them when they pulled. “What the  _ fuck _ is wrong with you people!? How could you?”

“Sister Dahlia offered her life up to God, and she will find peace in Paradise,” Lily said calmly, like she was commenting on the weather. “Come with us, Holy One, so we may prepare for the birth of God. Join us, Sister.”

A shot rang out and the crowd screamed, began to scatter as Kepler and Alana aimed at Lily. 

“That was a warning,” Alana growled. “Daniel isn’t anyone’s  _ sister _ , and he sure as hell isn’t birthing anything.”

“Say anything like that again, and you’ll be joining Dahlia in the lake,” Kepler added, voice calm but Daniel could tell he was shaken. He couldn’t blame him- Daniel had seen and experienced first hand what the Order was like and he still felt nauseated.

“Heretics,” Lily hissed, then shouted. “Heretics! Oh, Lord, protect your faithful from these rotten heretics who have corrupted the Holy One.”

As the cultists began to disperse, Daniel found himself holding tightly to the back of Kepler’s jacket as he kneeled, his head spinning and pounding. 

“Daniel? Dan! Are you okay?” Alana asked, her voice muffled, and he turned to look at her. “He doesn’t look good, Colonel.”

“Daniel, can you look at me?” In between Alana and Kepler he could see Lily disappearing with her followers before Kepler’s face took up his attention. “Daniel, can you tell me what’s wrong?”

And that was when he passed out.

* * *

For the second time that day, Daniel opened his eyes and looked up at the ceiling of a dirty motel room. This time he’d been stripped of his gear and shoes, and been tucked in under the covers. This time he felt hungover.

He could hear voices, and as he sat up, Alana and Kepler turned to him from where they were studying the map on the table.

“Are you okay? What was that? You scared the shit out of me, Dan,” Alana said, standing. “You were fine one minute, the next you just... keeled over on the ground.”

Daniel swallowed, mouth dry. “Do you think the water is safe to drink?” he asked as he pulled himself up into a sitting position.

“We already filtered some. Here,” Kepler passed over a cup, watching as Daniel drained it. “Are you okay, Daniel.”

“Fine, sir,” he replied, before wincing. “No, actually. My head is killing me and I...That...really happened, huh.”

“Yeah,” Alana said, sitting next to him. “Like...we’ve seen dead people, we’ve  _ caused _ dead people. So why did that feel so…”

“Wrong? Good question, Alana,” Kepler said with a frown. “Neither of you have killed anyone pregnant, never mind a child, so that could be why her...suicide was so uncomfortable.” He turned back to the map. “The entire affair was disconcerting. Even for me.”

“And it’ll probably get worse,” Daniel said glumly. “And you’re both targets because you’re “non believers” and obviously need to be stopped.”

“Dare I ask how they plan to do that?” Kepler asked.

“Fire is their go-to option, then water. So if you see a bonfire or a large body of water, I’d steer clear.” As he slid out of bed, Alana grabbed his arm, helping him up and looking him over. “Sorry for passing out.”

“It’s fine, Dan. Was it just stress or your cramps? Or was it something else?” she asked, and he shrugged.

“Dunno. It could have been the town changing too...I blacked out a couple times last time I was here too.” He started pulling his gear back on, but paused before he put on the vest. “Did either of you want this? You’re going to be targeted more than I will.”

“That can be between you and Alana. It won’t fit me,” Kepler said. “After you passed out, the cult scattered, but they were considerate enough to leave a boat tied to the jetty. We’ll be able to get across that way.”

“Yay,” Daniel said, holding the vest out to Alana before putting it on. “We should move now, huh?”

“Yes please,” Kepler said, folding up the map. “I think I speak for all of us when I say that I would prefer to get across the lake before nightfall.”

* * *

Despite everything, it was already getting dark as they approached the lake, and Daniel gave the lake a wary look. He didn’t want to walk out onto the jetty that the woman had walked off of earlier, but there wasn’t any other way to get to the boat.

“Fantastic, it’s a rowboat,” Alana said, making a face as Kepler climbed in, then taking his hand as she followed. “Why couldn’t this cult use something with a motor?”

“If you can find me a vehicle in this town that works, I’ll give you my next month’s pay,” Daniel said, giving the park one last look before climbing into the boat and squishing up against Alana. “And no, elevators don’t count.”

“This is a vehicle,” Kepler pointed out, and Daniel glared. “I await your cheque in the mail.”

“Oh, fuck you.”

“Not in the boat, please,” Alana said with a grin, and he groaned. 

“I will get out of this boat,” he threatened as Kepler began to row.

“And swim across the lake? That doesn’t seem wise.” Kepler and Alana shared a grin, and Daniel groaned, resting his head on Alana’s shoulder.

“One- Why are you like this? Two- why are  _ you _ like this?” he mumbled, but unable to hide his smile. 

“Which one of us is he asking?” Alana stage-whispered to Kepler.

“No idea. I do wish the Order had left us two set of oars. Maybe if someone would help…” 

“Oh, of course, Colonel. Let me just pull this  _ spare set of oars out of my ass _ .”

* * *

The three of them were about twenty minutes into rowing, Daniel taking possession of the oars, when the boat jolted.

“...are we there already?” Alana asked, peering into the dark and Kepler shook his head. 

“I don’t think so...there was an island on the map, correct? Perhaps we’re-” As Kepler spoke, the boat jolted again, making him grunt in surprise. “-close.”

“Uhm…” Alana’s eyes flicked to the side, then back to Kepler. “I wouldn’t look in the water,” she said slowly, moving her hands away from the edge of the boat. 

“Why…?” Daniel asked, before freezing.

There was something, or  _ someone _ , holding onto the back of his jacket.

“Daniel? What’s wrong?” Kepler asked. “Alana, take the oars- Daniel!”

That was the last thing he heard before he was pulled under, into the pitch dark waters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I now have 15 pages of planned scenes, possible sequel scenes, au's of this au, and au's of the au of this au rip I guess
> 
> * * *
> 
> * I didn't plan for this chapter to end like this but it did  
> * Alana and Kepler are Ready To Kill anyone who misgenders Daniel  
> * I nearly went with: Alana: "Not in the boat, please" / Daniel: "I will get out of this boat" / Kepler: "Take me to dinner and maybe I'll consider following you." / Daniel: "What?" / Kepler: "Well, Alana did say no fucking in the boat..."  
> * I still think I'm funny  
> * I borrowed the prayer that the cultists were saying from the silent hill wiki on God, but the majority of it was my own bullshit  
> * This is the only thing I'm focusing on rn I guess rip sorry
> 
> * * *
> 
> [Personal Tumblr](http://happyleech.tumblr.com/)


	4. Chapter 4

It must have been a symptom of the town that, when he fell back into the water, Daniel’s first thought was about his phone, the oars, and then that he was sinking fast into the dark, murky lake.

“I didn’t want this,” a voice whispered in his ear as more hands grabbed him, pulling him further down. “I was so happy to find out I was pregnant, and  _ then you arrived _ .”

Daniel couldn’t answer, not without the water filling his mouth as Dahlia pulled him deeper into the rotting arms of the forgotten dead, so he didn’t. As the gloom of the lake began to give way to a soft blue, and under him hundreds walk along the bottom, he began to drift. 

What had he been doing before? Something important...something with his family? Dad, maybe?

The sound of water splashing seemed to echo, and as another set of hands grabbed him he put up no resistance. 

“You can’t take him from us!” Dahlia hissed. “He is mine!”

But her hands slipped away as he began to rise, and the last thing he heard was the sound of a child’s cry.

* * *

“Daniel! Colonel, are you both-”

“-that’s the island, Alana help me-”

“-isn’t waking up. What do we-”

“-come back to me, Daniel-”

* * *

It wasn’t quite dawn when Daniel finally opened his eyes. He was wedged between Alana and Kepler once again and if not for the fact that he was damp with lake water, he’d have thought the last day hadn’t actually happened.

“Oh, thank god you’re awake,” Kepler said quietly, and Alana grumbled, squeezing closer. “You had us both worried.”

“What happened?” he asked, his throat burning. “I remember being in the boat, then someone was crying, I think, and now we’re here.”

“Something in the lake pulled you in, and I went after you. I couldn’t see what it was when I got to you- I just grabbed you and swam back.” Kepler tried to smile. “I think I’ll let you explain why we both need new work phones to Flavell.”

“You wanted to go skinny dipping and I couldn’t say no,” Daniel said glibly. “Er, I mean-”

“Alana did say not in the boat…” This time a smile shone through, and Daniel turned away.

“I wouldn't have sex in that lake even if you paid me,” he said with a frown, and he felt Kepler shaking with...laughter? “What?”

Kepler shook his head. “I would have thought you’d be a little more adventurous, Daniel.”

“...it’s filled with dead bodies, one of which just tried to drown me. No sensible person would do that-”

Alana shifted. “Can you two do your weird flirting later? I’m trying to sleep and I don’t want to think about why you aren’t bothered by the idea of having sex near this many corpses while I’m trying to nap, Colonel,” she said, holding onto Daniel even tighter. “I’m glad you’re okay, Dan.”

“We weren’t flirting,” Daniel protested. 

“We weren’t? It seemed like we were,” Kepler said, nudging him in the side.

“Did I actually die and that’s why you’re being so weird? It’s like you and Alana have forgotten about the  _ God-baby that’s growing inside of me _ ,” he snapped, pulling away from them both and standing. “Like, sure nothing has happened to you  _ yet _ Colonel Kepler, but that woman who jumped in the lake nearly managed to drown me and Alana was attacked by shadow monsters earlier.”

“Daniel-” Alana started to say, looking up at him, but he shook his head. 

“We’re on the island, right? I know there’s one of their churches here- I’m going to look around.” Daniel turned, walking away from the light from Alana’s phone and up the embankment.

* * *

Really, he shouldn’t have snapped like he had. After all, he’d been the one to suggest skinny dipping with Kepler as a reason for their ruined phones. 

“God, this thing must be driving me crazy,” Daniel muttered, kicking the ground. He’d been hoping Kepler would catch on to his, arguably transparent, feelings, but now? In Silent Hill? He would have rather heard Kepler say he was interested in Alana, of all things. 

“Dan! Daniel, wait for me!” He paused and let Alana catch up, and she tossed his jacket at him. “Weren’t you the one who said we needed to stick together?”

It was wet, but better than nothing and as Daniel slipped into his jacket, he probed around in the pockets and pulled out a lighter.

“Really? Don’t tell me you’ve taken up smoking,” Alana said, frowning.

“Nah. My phone is dead, right? So I need something to light the way.” He didn’t bother telling her that it was Harry’s, and with a click a small flame began to light their way. “Is Kepler catching up? Or is he mourning the loss of his phone too?”

“I’m right behind you, Mr. Jacobi,” Kepler said, and Daniel nearly jumped. “You mentioned one of the cult’s churches is on this island?”

Daniel nodded. “Yeah. I was never here before but...Alessa remembered it. I think she was here once.”

“” _ Alessa remembered? _ ”” Kepler asked.

“Mhm, yeah. I get...flashes of her sometimes? And if I really think about something that she would have known, or experienced, I can usually get something. Gives me a hellish headache though…” Daniel stumbled and raised the lighter a little higher. “Watch your step.” 

“Is there anything else you remember from her that might help us?” Kepler asked.

“Well, if you have any specific questions I can try and think about any answers? Like...It’s not like I can just open a theoretical box in my head and pull out a random memory,” Daniel replied. “Though...sometimes it does overwhelm me.”

“What do you mean?” Alana asked, ducking past a tree branch.

“You both remember the last time I didn’t come into work? You and Alana came to the apartment and stood outside my bedroom and talked at me until I came out…”

“Right, it took like...three hours for you to come out,” Kepler said. “And you were really confused about why we were there.”

“Yeah, well, that’s because I wasn’t  _ me _ that day. I woke up and I was seven and trapped and I needed to be quiet so no one burned me.” Daniel shrugged. “But between you and Alana, I was able to pull myself out of her and back into me.”

“Does that happen often?” Alana asked softly, and Daniel shrugged.

“Sometimes, but I can usually handle it. Oh, there’s the church.” Pulling away from memories of not being himself, he nodded to the building ahead of them. A wooden structure, hidden amongst the trees and fog and growing day. “In we go, I guess.”

* * *

Stepping inside, Daniel shuddered. It was disorienting, being in a building that he both knew and didn’t at the same time. Alana and Kepler followed after as he moved past the pews towards the pulpit. 

“What is this smell?” Alana asked, wrinkling her nose. 

“Mildew? Mold? Water, at the very least,” Kepler said, kicking one of the pews and making a disgusted noise as the wood disintegrated. 

“And blood,” Daniel said, snapping the lighter shut. “I’m sure it won't surprise either of you that the Order is a fan of sacrifices. If they think your death will please God…” he made a squelching noise and drew his thumb across his neck. 

“Jesus…” Alana muttered, before a sound began to fill the air around them. The three of them stopped, Daniel within reach of the pulpit, and tried to figure out what it was. 

It was a rasping noise, like someone struggling to breath, but also like someone was standing behind them, clicking their tongue. 

“Neither of you...are looking at the door by any chance...are you?” Daniel asked quietly.

“No…”

“Nope.”

“We should...probably turn around, shouldn’t we,” he said, shifting, and both Alana and Kepler made a sort of groaning noise that nearly blended in with the sounds from behind them. “Right, lets keep going forwards--”

“ _ Ah…lanah… _ ”

“I, uh…don’t supposed that was either of you who said that?” Alana whispered.

“Not...me,” Kepler said, and Daniel shook his head. 

“Right,” she whispered. “Right! What do you want?” Alana shouted as she turned, the others turning with her. “Oh.”

There was a mass of darkness sitting in one of the pews, nearly invisible to Daniel’s eye. 

“ _ Ah...lanah… _ ” the creature whispered again, and Daniel reached out for Alana and Kepler’s shoulders, to pull them back. “ _ AHLANAH! _ ”

With surprising speed the creature stood, filling the aisle as it screamed, the air in the church cooling rapidly. 

“Run! Run, run, run--” Daniel yanked Alana back, turning and shooting out one of the stained glass windows as small, black puffs of smoke filled the room. 

Diving through the window, he rolled, his jacket catching most of the glass but doing nothing to protect him from the rocks underneath. He stumbled to his feet in time for Alana to crash into him, a cracking noise and a shout of pain from her cutting through the monstrous scream. Kepler came crashing down not too long later, and he hefted them both to their feet. 

“Where do we go?” he shouted over the shrieking.

“Down! There has to be something we can use to get across!” Daniel shouted back, grabbing Alana’s arm. “Are you okay?”

“I- I,” she stumbled over the rocks, then nodded. “Yes, I’m fine. What about you? You’re bleeding!”

“Doesn’t matter, need to move,” Daniel said, searching through the fog for anything to get them away from Alana’s monster. “Kepler! Do you see anything?”

“No! Nothing- wait! There, is that a tram?” Kepler pointed forwards, then grabbed Daniel’s shoulder. “I’ll go secure it, hurry.” He jumped ahead, down a steeper drop of rock towards the tram.

“Shit, shit, shit, come on Daniel!” Alana switched to holding Daniel’s arm instead of the other way around, pulling him towards a path. “Why is this happening?!”

Daniel didn’t answer, too focused on not tripping over his feet, shifting to grab Alana’s hand as they ran. The monster was still in the church, it’s screams getting steadily quieter as they approached the tram, but he still shuddered as they ran through swarms of Nappers, the cold seeping into their skin. 

A handful of shots greeted them as they reached the tram station, and Daniel almost slid into a locker as he hit a patch of oily blood. 

“What happened?” Alana asked, heaving for breath as Daniel nudged the mass of flesh on the ground beside the door.  

“Whatever  _ that _ was attacked me- come on, let’s get away from here.” Kepler nodded to where the tram was hanging, waiting for them to climb aboard. 

* * *

Once they were on the tram, Kepler at the controls, Alana sunk down onto one of the seats and began to swear. 

“Fuck...fuck I think I broke something,” she said, holding her left wrist up for them to see. It was already red and inflamed, and when Daniel touched it with his fingertips, she turned a worrying shade of grey. 

“Alchemilla, the hospital on this side of the lake,” he said, sitting beside her. “There’s Cedar Ridge, but that was a asylum and…” he frowned. “I was never inside and Alessa...I can’t remember.”

“Alchemilla, then. We’re going to need a new base of operations- the hospital?” Kepler asked, and Daniel shuddered. “The nearest hotel, then.”

“We should stop at the hotel first,” Alana said. “Grab the keys and pick a room, right?”

Daniel nodded. “Yeah...it might make it...easier to get back to the room if we go inside first, so then the town can’t block us off.”

“Right. We’ll stop there first, then to the hospital. Which hotel are we stopping at?” Kepler asked, looking over. 

“The Indian Runner. There’s another motel nearby but the Indian Runner is like Jacks Inn...and a Order safehouse.”

“I thought we were staying away from the Order?” Alana asked. 

“Sure, I’d love to, but I know for a fact that no one uses it anymore. It was...Kaufmann’s. He used it for his drug trafficking, mostly, but people in town knew not to stay there,” Daniel said, shrugging. “But he’s long dead, so we shouldn’t have any issue.”

“Kaufmann...You mentioned that name before. Who was he?” Kepler asked, and Daniel made a face.

“The director of Alchemilla, one of the main members of the Order....he was technically my doctor, but he left all the work to Lisa.” 

“Your doctor? Or Alessa’s?” Alana asked softly, and he winced.

“Let’s just...assume that if I say ‘ _ my _ ’, I really mean Alessa,” Daniel said. “But, yeah, Alchemilla. I haven’t been in there, but Alessa was for seven years. We should be able to find... a splint, some more painkillers, basically everything we need to have a half-decent first aid kit.”

* * *

The trek from the tram station, which Daniel was  _ sure _ hadn’t existed before, to the Indian Runner was surprisingly calm. Calm enough that by the time they broke into the office, he was beginning to feel anxious. 

Anxious enough that when a man walked out of the back, he punched first, thought later.

The man fell back, dropping a gun to the floor as he put his hand to his nose, and Daniel unholstered his gun and aimed it at him.

“Who the fuck are you?!” the man snapped, and Daniel turned to look at Kepler.

“So, looks like Kaufmann isn’t actually gone,” he said grimly. 

“The dead don’t stay dead,” Alana said. “So, what do we do?” 

She looked to Kepler, who shook his head. “I’d direct that question to Mr. Jacobi. He’d know better than I.”

“Uh…” Alana and Daniel shared a look. “So, Dan. Thoughts?”

“Can’t re-kill a ghost,” he replied, leaning over Kaufmann. “Isn’t that right, Michael?”

“Who. The fuck. Are you?” Kaufmann snarled. “How do you know my name?”

“You knew my father,” Daniel said, deciding to not mention Alessa. Once Kaufmann knew he was talking about Harry, he’d figure it out. Maybe. “I have a question for you. And you’d better answer it. Aglaophotis- where can I find it?”

Kaufmann laughed. “You can’t. Do you  _ really _ think the Order will let any more of that be found here? Whatever you need it for...just give up.”

Kepler stepped forward and picked him up by his collar, slamming Kaufmann into the wall. “I’d think very hard about that answer, Mr. Kaufmann-”

“Doctor,” Kaufmann snapped, seeming unbothered by what was happening. “ _ Doctor  _ Kaufmann.”

Kepler snorted. “The only doctor I see in this room is Doctor Maxwell,” he said. “Now, Mr. Kaufmann, if you would please,  _ please _ think again and reconsider your answer?”

“Fine. Fine!” Kepler let go, and Kaufmann fell back to the ground. “You  _ might _ find some in Alchemilla, but I don’t know. It’s not like I go looking for it.”

“Thank you, Mr. Kaufmann.” 

* * *

With their rooms secured, four keys split between the three of them, Daniel leveled a glare at Kaufmann who was sitting in the office nursing a bloody nose. 

“What?” he snapped, and Daniel laughed. 

“Nothing, I just...look at you! Lisa must have really hated you,” he said, shaking his head. 

Kaufmann glowered. “How do you--”

Daniel turned away, leaving the building before Kaufmann could finish his question and rejoining the others. 

“Okay- let’s go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The number of times I put 'Kepler' instead of 'Kaufmann'...is embarrassing. Also I thought of Kepler/Kaufmann and now you do too
> 
> * * *
> 
> [Personal Tumblr](http://happyleech.tumblr.com/)


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warnings for this chapter: Talk of vomiting, aphobic language, vague medical talk and mention of needles

The trip from the Indian Runner to Alchemilla shouldn’t have taken them more that fifteen minutes, twenty minutes tops. Instead it seemed to drag, monsters dogging their every step. First it was a herd of numb bodies wandering into their path a block and a half from the hotel, and then they detoured at least three streets north to get away from a handful of screaming nappers who beelined it for Alana. They’d just ducked into an alley, a cancer blocking their way, when Daniel waved for Kepler for a rest.

“What’s wrong?” Kepler asked, both he and Alana standing close with their hands on their weapons which Daniel had to admit was more comforting than it probably should have been. 

“If we keep going this way, we aren’t going to run into anything, except maybe the cult. We’re moving away from the hospital and I don’t know if there’s any clinics in Old Silent Hill. The next group of monsters we see we’re going to have to go through if we want to get Alana any treatment.”

“I hope they’re ones we can just run past,” Alana said, panting. “My aim isn’t going to be any good with my wrist like this, and not going to lie, I’d kill for a painkiller.”

Daniel thought back to all of the gear in the vehicle, not for the first time. All the weapons, ammunition, body armour, first aid supplies… “Well, if we go down this way and get to the hospital, you shouldn’t need to kill anyone, ‘Lana.”

“. _..lahna… _ ” something in the distance screamed, and Daniel pushed away from the wall.

“Come on, let's get out of here before that thing from the church comes back.”

* * *

They had just reached the theater when Alana froze, Daniel and Kepler taking up defensive positions around her.

“What’s happening? What’s wrong?” Kepler asked when nothing jumped out to attack, and she just pointed ahead of them. The ticket box was lit by flickering neon, and sitting up against the window was a message that made Daniel see red.

_ ‘The Computer Woman- at home with ai because you might as while be one. Do you even know what love is Maxwell or are you too broken?’ _

While the message was put together on a kind of marquee light board, the word ‘broken’ seemed to flicker in the light. 

“‘Lana?” Daniel tried to keep his voice even as he reached out, but Alana still jumped when she was touched. “You okay?”

“No, not really,” she said with a weak laugh, before she started walking again. “Once I have some pain meds and we’re on the other side of the goddamn country I’ll be better.” Alana grabbed the message, tipping it onto the ground and smashing her boot through the sign. “Let’s just...get to the hospital, yeah? I don’t want to think about...”

Alana shuddered as they started to walk away from the theater, and only Daniel noticed the flickering lights as they passed the other ticket booth.

On the other side was another message to Alana, and Daniel nearly drew his gun to shoot it down. 

‘ _ You just haven’t had sex with  _ ~~_ the right person _ ~~ _ me yet’ _

“Fucking Perelman,” he hissed, stalking forwards and slamming it to the ground, taking some satisfaction as the frame broke and letters went flying. Alana  _ definitely _ didn’t need to see that. 

“Is something wrong, Mr. Jacobi?” Kepler called back, and Daniel shook his head and he jogged ahead to catch up.

“Nah, just a message for me. Looks like my fucking ghost stalker from last time is back,” he said. “Bet you wish Cutter let us dispose of Perelman, huh?”

“I suppose. Let’s hurry, I want to get to the hospital before night falls.”

* * *

Despite Daniel’s wishes, the three of them managed to run into another swarm of monsters. 

“What are those?” Daniel asked, not exactly expecting an answer. They looked like a walking mass of flesh and faces, but when Kepler stepped forwards one started to scream. “Okay, I hate them.”

“I ran into one of them when I was getting the tram going,” Kepler replied. “They don’t seem too dangerous.”

“Yeah, but they’re  _ screaming _ ,” Daniel pointed out, like anyone could have missed the sounds they were making as they moved away from the three of them. “Screaming attracts other monsters- there! More fucking numb bodies.”

“What should we do?” Kepler asked, and Daniel shared a look with Alana before he answered.

“The hospital is right at the other end of this street. We run past ‘bodies, get the gate open and move inside the building before the monsters notice us. If they do, we can kick the small ones away and hope no more of the giant ones show up. You okay to do that, Alana?”

“Sounds like a plan. Sir?”

Kepler nodded. “Let’s go.”

* * *

The numb bodies didn’t put up much of a fight, Daniel only having to kick two of them away as Kepler pulled the hospital gates open enough for the three of them to slip inside. Looking around the barren courtyard, Daniel tightened his grip on his handgun. He wasn’t even  _ in _ the building and he already felt trapped. 

“Right. Jacobi, you take Maxwell inside and get her tended to. Pick up any supplies we might need, and get back here as soon as possible.” Kepler said as Daniel and Alana made their way to the door, and Daniel paused, turning to look at him.

“You...aren’t coming in?” he asked, frowning.

“No. I’ll keep an eye on the entrance, make sure nothing comes up behind us.”

“Sir, you  _ do _ remember what I said about making sure we don’t get separated?” Daniel said, before sighing. “Whatever, if the cult gets you or a numb body gets through the gate, don’t come crying to me.” He pushed the door open before Kepler could reprimand him, Alana following him into the waiting room. She let herself flop down on one of the benches as Daniel slammed the door behind them.

“He is driving me crazy,” he said, turning to Alana. “I’ve changed my mind, I don’t think I want to hook up with him anymore.”

“Don’t say that,” she replied, poorly hiding a groan of pain as she shifted. “I’m going to lose so much money in the office pool if you decide to sleep with...I dunno, Blaire or someone. I already lost money after you and Klein broke up.”

She grinned at him, but he just looked away. He’d liked Aaron, but his family was Order and the last thing he needed was  _ another _ boyfriend trying to drag him back to the cult.

“It doesn’t look like anyone’s here,” Alana continued, ignoring or just not noticing his reaction to her comment. “Should we just go looking for some stuff?”

“See, this place wants you to think that it’s empty but I’m sure the second and third floors are just full of nurses, and not the kind that you want looking at your wrist,” Daniel looked at her. “Are you okay to walk some more? I don’t know where they kept their supplies so we might need to do some hunting.”

“And what, exactly, are you hunting for?” A voice that Daniel knew, that  _ Alessa _ knew, said, and he tried not to grin as he turned. “I don’t like it when people go rummaging and trash my hospital.”

Standing just at the double doors that lead further into the building, her hands on her hips, stood Lisa Garland. Nurse, protector, friend. Daniel both did and didn’t know her. Sometimes it was confusing to know a person without actually knowing them, but at that moment he felt nothing but relief at the sight. 

“We’ve got a broken wrist here,” he said, motioning to Alana with his head. “Do you think you can help us with that?”

Immediately Lisa’s demeanor changed, and she moved forwards to crouch next to Alana. “What happened?” she asked as she carefully took Alana’s hand in her own.

“Jumped out a window to get away from a monster,” Alana replied, wincing.

“You have weapons, don’t you?” Lisa asked, standing. “Okay, you two follow me. I’ll get you in the exam room and go gather some supplies…”

Daniel let himself sit in one of the chairs in the exam room as Alana perched on the edge of the bed, and she looked over at him. “So...is she real or whatever?”

He shook his head. “No. Well, yes. She’s a ghost.”

“...is this safe then? To let her-” Alana snapped her mouth shut as Lisa reentered the room, a basket full of medical supplies in her arms. She set everything out on one of the tables and rolled up her sleeves before turning to Alana.

“Painkillers first?” she asked, and Alana nodded, slowly pulling her layers of clothing off.

“Please. I’ve felt like throwing up from the pain for the last…” she trailed off, then looked over to Daniel. “Dan, how long ago did I break my wrist?”

He shrugged. “We were on that island on the lake so, like...at least an hour? Maybe longer?”

Lisa looked over at him, then tilted her head to the side. “Have...have I met you before?” she asked, before shaking her head. “I didn’t even introduce myself, did I. My name is Lisa Garland.”

“Alana Maxwell.”

“Daniel Jacobi,” he paused. “I don’t think so. I’ve been here before, but it’s been a while and I didn’t cross the lake.”

Lisa gave him another look, then turned back to Alana. “So you came back and brought someone else with you?” she asked, wiping Alana’s shoulder with an alcohol swab. “You’ll feel a sharp prick but that’s just the needle. Your arm might hurt a little after...but judging from these bandages, you’re probably sore already.”

“It wasn’t really Dan’s fault,” Alana stuck her tongue out at him, and he flipped her the bird. “Work sent us here- he just didn’t mention that he’d been here before.”

“I’d get a new job then,” Lisa said, wrapping Alana’s wrist before putting it in a brace. “I’d tell you to rest it, but I doubt you’ll be able to here.”

“As if Kepler would let us,” Daniel muttered, and Alana snorted. “I mean I want to get the fuck out of here as much as the next person, but he’s been acting weird. He keeps asking  _ me _ for directions.”

Lisa turned to him, moving closer to look at the cuts on his hands that he’d frankly forgotten about. “Is that so strange? You said you’d been here before, right?”

“Sure, but he’s…”

“A bit of a control freak,” Alana said, finishing his thought. “I’m not saying that he’s tried to give direction to me while I’m doing my work, but then I’d be lying.”

Lisa stuck a handful of bandages on Daniel’s hands, shaking her head. “I’ve worked for people like that too. Is he here as well?”

“Outside. He said he was going to keep watch,” Alana said, jumping off the exam table. “Thank you for the help, Lisa.”

“You’re welcome,” the nurse replied, frowning. “Are you sure I don’t know you?” she asked Daniel again, and he sighed.

He was going to have to ask her about the aglaophotis, and maybe things would go smoother if he told her who his dad was, if not who he used to be. “My dad met you,” he said finally. “Harry Mason?”

Lisa gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. “He-he got out?” she asked, and Daniel felt his throat tighten. 

“I- yeah. The Order found us later but...he did get out.” Seeing Lisa, listening to how hopeful she sounded at the news Harry’d escaped the town...it was almost enough to make  _ him _ cry. “Lisa, I need to know- we ran into Kaufmann. He said that the hospital might have some aglaophotis.”

At the mention of Kaufmann, Lisa screwed her face up in a look of disgust. “Where is that bastard loitering now?” 

“The Indian Runner. We were going to make camp there but...well I wasn’t expecting him to still be hanging around,” Daniel said. “Any suggestions?”

“The police station should be fairly safe?” Lisa replied. “Aglaophotis...why does that sound so familiar?”

“It’s a red liquid or crystal,” Daniel gave Alana a worried look. If the hospital didn’t have it and Lisa didn’t know anything about it… “Kaufmann had a stash here at once point. Lisa, I need it. I-”

She looked at him, her head tilted to the side. “You’re...Harry was looking for his daughter, looking for  _ Alessa _ . You and her are the same, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, you could say that.” Daniel replied. “Do you know anything?”

Lisa shook her head, and he felt his heart sink. It must have showed on his face because then she put her hands up, starting to ramble. “I-I mean I’ll look into it? I don’t leave the hospital often but there is a nurse from Brookhaven? She visits sometimes and I mean she doesn’t talk because she’s got that...you know, you’ve seen the nurses there?”

“Yeah-” Daniel said as Lisa continued to talk.

“So she might know something and then there’s a few ghosts who come and go and you probably don’t want to see Beans so I’ll keep him in-” It was only when Daniel stood and took one of Lisa’s hands that she stopped talking, giving him an embarrassed look.

“If you find anything, I’d appreciate it Lisa. We’ll move to the police station instead of the hotel and...if you run into the ghost of a guy named Douglas Cartland, let him know what we’re up to and where our base is?”

Lisa nodded. “Of course. Is there anything else I can do for you?”

“...Could we have some first aid stuff?” Alana asked. “Dan made me drink a “health drink” after I got attacked by monsters the first time and they might have worked for him before, but I’d prefer an advil over a strange bottle of liquid.”

Daniel huffed as Alana and Lisa started to laugh, but couldn’t help a smile slipping out. For the first time since everything went to hell, things were starting to look up. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lisa Garland? In one of my Silent Hill fics? It's more likely than you'd think! I'm sorry I just love her so goddamn much
> 
> * * *
> 
> * I have lots of Lisa headcanons that pop up/will pop up and I'm sorry in advance  
> * imo Alessa saw Lisa as a sister figure so Daniel rn is just hanging with his Sisters and feeling okay for once  
> * Cayley Perelman is Nile's oc SI-5 member from another team and she is The Worst (ty for letting me make her worse somehow)  
> * This fic is now Trans/Ace/Bi solidarity  
> * Everyone in Wolf and everyone in Silent Hill (except the Order) is Queer. Sources: Me, because I said so
> 
> * * *
> 
> [Personal Tumblr](http://happyleech.tumblr.com/) / [TextsFromLastNight Wolf 359 Tumblr](https://textsfromtheusshephaestus.tumblr.com/)


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